The miraculous Draught of Fishes

Jesus sits calmly at the stern of a boat while Peter kneels before him in an act of faith following a massive catch of fish. In the second boat, figures strain to pull in the heavy nets against a background of a hilly coastline and distant city. Three cranes stand in the foreground shallows, adding a sense of stillness to the active scene on the water.

As a work by Raphael, this composition represents the High Renaissance ideal of harmonizing divine grace with the physical laws of nature and human emotion. The inclusion of the cranes in the foreground reflects the period's interest in animal symbolism, where the crane was often used in Renaissance emblem books to represent vigilance and the contemplative life.